From 10 to 20 April the NCEL expects the Reds to play 5 matches, including an 8 day period with games against Pickering, Armthorpe and Bridlington (and Selby).

When you consider that the Reds are fighting it out with these clubs at the top of the league, is it really fair to expect them to have to play such matches within an 8 day period (and with a match against Selby sandwiched in between)?

Can you imagine Sir Alex putting up with this? And his players don't have full-time jobs to distract them!

None of the other teams involved in this top of the table tussle have anything approaching Thackley's run-in, either in terms of the strength of the opposition, or of the intense concentration of fixtures.

Is there any real reason why the season could not be extended by a week or so in order to avoid such a fixture jam? If you know the answer to this question, why not let Webmaster know?

ian.matthews@blueyonder.co.uk

Or post it on the Forum.